KARACHI: IBA’s Center for Entrepreneurial Development (IBA-CED), held four events to mark Global Entrepreneurship Week 2024 at the IBA Main Campus. This year’s theme, ‘Entrepreneurship is for Everyone’ was reflected in the diverse range of activities designed to engage students, faculty, investors, industry specialists, and entrepreneurs of all ages. Events under the GEW 2024 included E-Connect, I-Bazaar, INVENT, and an interactive session with the Shark Tank Pakistan team; all four events took place from November 21 to November 23 with students, faculty, and guests all taking part in the festivities.
Dr S Akbar Zaidi, Executive Director, IBA Karachi, delivered the opening remarks where he appreciated IBA-CED for becoming a hub for entrepreneurial expertise. Dr Lalarukh Ejaz, Director, IBA-CED, in her welcome address, said, “Entrepreneurship is a state of mind, and it is all about out-of-the-box thinking.”
The first day’s flagship event, E-Connect, featured two Panel Discussions, a Fireside Chat, and the launch of Pakistan’s first university-based angel investor network. The panel discussions focused on sustainable impact and fuelling early-stage innovation, while the fireside chat explored entrepreneurial tales of triumphs and trials.
The discourse kept the audience fully engaged with the panel discussions enabling them to develop a robust understanding of the startup ecosystem.
I-BAZAAR, a marketplace for 36 innovative student startups, showcased products in various categories. Featuring four categories- Innovative Solutions, Green Ventures, Crafts and Beyond, and Taste Treasures, the event also saw E-Connect panelists interacting with young entrepreneurs at their stalls and providing valuable feedback on the products showcased.
On the second day, an Interactive Session with the Shark Tank Pakistan team took place. The Sharks –Rabeel Warraich and Karim Teli, with the Executive Producer, Shark Tank Pakistan, Muhammad Rizwan Siddiqui, were the guests. The session allowed enthusiastic IBA students to engage with the Sharks.
The third day featured INVENT2024, Pakistan’s pioneering university-based business plan competition. The top 10 short-listed startups from across Pakistan, selected after a rigorous evaluation process, competed for cash prizes and one-year incubation services at IBA-CED. YumKin Foods Pvt Ltd (Faisalabad) secured first place with PKR 300,000, Carbo Tech Dynamics (Lahore) came in second with PKR 200,000, and NanoDrop (Islamabad) took third place, winning PKR 100,000.
The events under GEW 2024 concluded with resounding success, showcasing IBA’s commitment to fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and community engagement. The celebrations highlighted IBA-CED’s pivotal role as a hub for nurturing entrepreneurial talent and driving impactful change in Pakistan’s startup ecosystem.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024